Research Advice
Being a good researcher involves more than just thrashing around through both good and bad material. Most researchers spend the majority of their time reading papers, discussing ideas with other Masonic researchers, writing and revising papers, and sometimes just staring blankly into space.
It is important at the outset that one becomes a part of the larger Masonic research community. Of course, an active involvement with the Maine Masonic College and the Maine Lodge of Research are extremely important. There are several other Masonic research bodies which also merit your consideration (see here) and nearly every jurisdiction has a Research Lodge of their own. Collegial involvement is limited only by your personal budget but the publications of nearly every Masonic Research group can be found in our own Grand Lodge Library.
You must also keep track of where you're going and where you've been with your research. Staying motivated amidst the daily press of Masonic, work and personal responsibilities is a strong challenge but the stimulation of your mind will be of great personal pleasure.
We recommend that you keep a journal or record of your research activities. Whether using a loose-leaf binder or a software program (some great software listed below), there are unlimited ways of doing this. What's important is that it be done!
You should write down speculations, interesting problems, possible solutions, random ideas, references to look up, notes on papers you've read, outlines of papers to write, and interesting quotes. Read back through it periodically. Often the bits of random thoughts will come together and form a pattern and point the way forward for current and future ideas.
Freemasonry is not too very different from any technical field. Many Masons believe that there's "nothing new" yet active Masonic researchers recognize that even disparate topics might provide insight into one's own areas of personal interest. It's also normal to be overwhelmed by the amount of reading you think you "should'' do. Freemasonry is a 300+ year-old organization and the number of books about Freemasonry seems limitless. Try to keep balanced: it's impossible to read everything that might be relevant: instead, read selectively. When you first start reading up on a particular topic, ask Masons you know to be well-read what they would recommend - and what they'd avoid. Get a few copies of the AQC or the SRRS Heredom and see what you find there.
Before bothering to read any book or paper, make sure it's worth it. Particularly at the beginning of your research journey, you may not have the luxury of 'grazing' in the vast fields of Masonic literature. Scan the title, try to identify the bias of the author and only then - if you haven't lost interest already - glance at the introduction. Before you try to get all of the details, skim the whole thing, and try to get a feel for the most important points. If it still seems worthwhile and relevant, go back and read it entirely. Many people find it useful to take notes while they read and a pencil or highlighter (or both) is always handy to have nearby. Even if you don't ever go back later, this will help focus your attention and will force you to summarize as you read. And if you do need to refresh your memory later, rereading your notes is much easier and faster than reading the whole book/paper again searching for the vaguely remembered part.
There are a few other points to keep in mind:
- Make sure that the thing being described makes sense as opposed to just being an author's opinion. Unless you're reading Masonic philosophy, there should be provable facts to support each and every claim.
- Try to get past buzzwords: they may sound good, but not mean much. Look for substance beneath the jargon and don't assume that the author knows all.
- To really understand Masonic material, you'll need to understand the depth and breadth of the author's work but you also need to appreciate any bias or
- Avoid mutually-endorsing authors like the plague. In today's popular literature, they're everywhere - and that usually signifies that the work isn't worth the paper it's printed on.
- <more to follow>
Some software sources...
We'll be adding to this section for an upcoming update.
This page last updated on Sunday, January 11, 2009
